I. Field of the Invention
The term “fastener” is used herein to include rivets, screws, slugs, weld studs, mechanical studs and other types of fastening devices.
II. Description of Related Art
Known fastening apparatus include a nose assembly into which a rivet is passed from a rivet storage location, and from which the rivet is inserted into a workpiece by a punch. The fastening apparatus includes an upsetting die which is located beneath the workpiece and which is configured to upset the rivet when the rivet is inserted into the workpiece. The volume and shape of the upsetting die is chosen to provide a desired degree of upsetting such that the rivet adopts a desired shape when it is inserted into the workpiece. The feeding of at least two different rivets (i.e. rivets having different dimensions) to the nose assembly is already known. When it is desired to fasten a different workpiece or a different location on a workpiece (e.g. a different combination of material types and/or thicknesses) or insert a different rivet (i.e. a rivet with different dimensions or hardness) into the workpiece, it is frequently necessary to remove the upsetting die and replace it with a different upsetting die which has a shape and volume that is more suited to the different rivet and/or different combination of material types and/or thicknesses.
It is desirable to provide a fastening method which overcomes or mitigates a problem associated with known fastening methods.